1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fuel efficiency improvements in vehicles, and in particular to a system for capturing energy from air friction encountered by a moving vehicle or other moving object.
2. Description of the Related Art
From the time the automobile was invented, entrepreneurs have been attempting to increase its range, decrease its energy consumption and in general increase the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. Generally, these increases in efficiency are accompanied by a decrease in vehicle performance, which is often undesirable to the vehicle operator. Reducing wind resistance has been one means by which these improvements have been implemented.
Wind energy recovery systems for vehicles are desirable for transferring kinetic energy of a windspeed relative to the a vehicle to rotational motion for driving an electric generator or alternator. Although all energy cannot be recaptured (a feat which would be impossible), some lost energy may be recovered. Energy recapturing and harvesting is of particular interest as conserving energy and achieving the maximum benefit from the energy available is very important for powered vehicles, from completely electrical vehicles to internal combustion engines and combinations thereof, that invariably require some form of electrical power. Such vehicles need to be efficient by avoiding frequent recharging of batteries. Current land vehicles that utilize motors supported by electrical energy have the limitation of requiring re-charging of the battery packs.
Several prior attempts have been made to utilize wind energy of moving vehicles to turn propellers, air turbines, treadmills or rotors, which, in turn, are connected by various means, to a generator. U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,623 issued to McKeen on Oct. 7, 1975 discloses a means for reducing oncoming air resistance and angle wind effects to a moving vehicle. The effects of oncoming air resistance and angled winds on a moving vehicle are minimized by forcing air at relatively high velocity up through a transverse nozzle system extending across the vehicle's front and providing a means for directing a portion of said air through a vented duct along the vehicle's roof. Air from the nozzle system follows the front contour of the vehicle up and across the windshield and further tends to flow back along the vehicle's roof. Oncoming air in front of the vehicle also follows this air stream along the contour of the vehicle. A low-pressure region is thereby created to the vehicle's front. A portion of the front air enters the duct that extends along the vehicle's roof. Air entering and exiting through top vents in the duct tends to control boundary air across and along the vehicle's roof and assist in filling the void to the vehicle's rear. As above, this system redirects air to avoid large surfaces, the air is not captured and/or transferred to electrical energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,923 issued to Lissaman on Jan. 27, 1976 provides a drag reducing means for a truck, the means comprising a porous structure typically mounted on the cab roof to pass air into the gap between the cab and trailer body in rearward flowing streams that undergo deceleration. Eddies are formed in the gap and act as a barrier to airflow into the gap at its sides and top. Although this system redirects air to avoid large surfaces, the air is not captured and/or transferred to electrical energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,508 issued to Kirsch on May 10, 1977 provides an air drag reducing means for vehicles. The patent discloses a means for reducing the air drag on vehicles. In one embodiment the air drag reducing means employs an airvane member secured in spaced relation to an air flow guide element in kit form for mounting adjacent a corner edge of the bluff surface to prevent separation of air flow from the corner edge and adjacent rearward surface of the vehicle and develop a net forward thrust on the air drag reducing means. Another embodiment includes an airvane member and means for mounting it adjacent a smooth curved windward corner edge of a bluff surface on the vehicle so as to define an air flow passage through which air passes from the bluff surface in attached relation to the corner edge and adjacent rearwardly extending surface of the vehicle. As with the other systems, this system is a passive system and does not generate electricity.
One system that is designed to generate electricity from air encountered by a vehicle can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,059 issued to DePaoli on Apr. 19, 2005. This system is designed to be attached to the front of a vehicle and is formed to extend substantially the length of the front of the vehicle. Intercepted airflow is directed into a channel. Inside the channel a turbine is rotatably mounted and an electrical generator attached to the turbine generates energy. The housing can be attached to the front bumper of a vehicle or can replace the front bumper
It has thus been shown that the use of wind driven rotors or vehicle mounted wind powered electric generators are known in the prior art. Existing vehicle mounted power generating systems make use of wind to provide power to vehicles. These systems include a wind turbine driven generator on a moving vehicle in order to supply electric power for purposes such as recharging a battery or running accessories. Such turbine generator units have been mounted on the roof of the passenger compartment as well as on top of the front hood of the vehicle. Some of these devices are complex and difficult to manufacture. Vehicle attached power generation devices use movable deflectors to guide the wind into the cage where a single set of blades drives a generator. These known systems are complex, with control systems and inefficient rotor designs, thereby not making them practical to be placed and integrated into a moving vehicle. Also the housing that contains the turbine on the roof of the vehicle greatly adds to the vehicle's wind resistance. The power source that propels the vehicle must produce more power in order to overcome the wind resistance, thereby reducing the efficiency of the vehicle. Some turbine generator units mounted on top of the front hood of the vehicle have the additional disadvantage of obstructing the view of the driver of the vehicle, thereby causing a safety hazard. Turbine generator units mounted on the roof or front hood of the vehicle have the further disadvantage of being aesthetically unappealing.
Hence, it can be seen that, there is a need for a new and improved moving wind energy recovery system that can be used for generating electricity through rotational motion produced by moving wind. Such an improved moving wind energy recovery system installed on a vehicle would also depart from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of generating electricity through rotational motion produced by moving wind. Such a system would minimize the drag and would not affect the aesthetics of the vehicle.